Would you overtake a convoy of vehicles with blues and twos on?

Del2005

Was coming home from work the other night and just as I stopped at the lights beside the Penny Hill in Lucan a couple of Garda bikes came up the bus lane with blues and twos on. One stopped in the middle of the road and the other drove on. A bit behind them a convoy of Army jeeps, Garda vans and a good few more bikes came past all with blues and twos on. They went straight through towards the N7 with the bikes leap frogging to stop traffic at the junctions to let them through without stopping.

When my lights went green I followed them up towards the N7 and as I neared each junction I was catching up with the convoy, I didn't exceed the limit on any section, and if I'd have gone onto the N7 would have caught them if they maintained the same speed. I'd guess what ever they where carrying couldn't travel at high speed or they where trying to maintain an even speed to avoid stopping by letting the bikes get well clear.

Which leads me to my question if your driving at or under the speed limit on a multi lane road would you overtake a convoy of vehicles travelling with sirens and lights on? I've overtaken squad cars when they are not lit up and once passed an ambulance with it's lights on. I'll always pull out of the way when I see or hear emergency vehicles behind and they are gaining on me.

Mycroft H

I'd imagine something there was limited to 80km/h.

Overtook a fire appliance on blues a while back on an empty M50 when he was flat out round 90km/h. Overtook him when he was in lane 1 and I was in lane three.

In this case I'd had left them be. Don't wan't to get in the way of a TC garda on a bike when convoying. Those lads have enough to worry about without more people in the way.

mags1962

They may have been en route to Baldonnell as that seems to be the preferred route from Dublin and yes I would overtake them if they were holding me up.

Supergurrier

No.

Even though i got stuck behind a squad car 2 army jeeps and a securior van for most a journey from castlebar to headford once doing 70kmph

Del2005

BX 19 wrote: »

I'd imagine something there was limited to 80km/h.

Could have been but I'd have though since Gardaí are exempt from most traffic laws on duty they'd have them removed

mags1962 wrote: »

They may have been en route to Baldonnell as that seems to be the preferred route from Dublin and yes I would overtake them if they were holding me up.

They headed South on the N7, maybe Port Laoise prison.

SV

Overtook Garda cars plenty of times, if they're going under the limit then I don't see the big deal, unless you have something you're afraid to get pulled over for then it's not worth the risk.

but yeah I don't see why not, if they're under the speed limit and you're not causing an obstruction then it's all the same, surely?

MugMugs

I'm pretty certain that there's certain scenarios where you can't overtake them like that. Remember seeing a Garda car blocked and ground to a halt by the convoy he was attempting to over take.

I imagine if you tried, the bikes would stop you by blocking.

_Kaiser_

Don't see why not if they were travelling under the limit and there was opportunity to pass safely.

Was stuck behind a squad car 2 weeks ago that was doing around 40 in a 60 because the car ahead of them was obviously terrified of getting pulled in for "speeding"

Thank you Gaybo and the RSA. :rolleyes: To be fair I'd say it must drive the Gardai themselves mad half the time

Anan1

Del2005 wrote: »

Which leads me to my question if your driving at or under the speed limit on a multi lane road would you overtake a convoy of vehicles travelling with sirens and lights on?

If it's safe and legal to do so then why on earth not?

dh0011

i would have overtaken them

Supergurrier

Lots of hindsight heros voting tbh, it's different when you are actually there

One mistimed gearchange and a pop from the exhaust going from 3rd to 4th and i could have been in big doo doo

coolisin

This time two years ago if of said yes.

Until I drove by a Garda van on the m50 while I did the speed limit (100kmh) I was the only person who over took as he hogged the middle lane at slower speed, I was swiftly pulled in.

His reason was I should be driving more careful on a Saturday night at 9pm as there is drunk drivers about.

Supergurrier

coolisin wrote: »

This time two years ago if of said yes.

Until I drove by a Garda van on the m50 while I did the speed limit I was the only person who over took as he hogged the middle lane and was swiftly pulled in.

His reason was I should be driving more careful on a Saturday night at 9pm as there is drunk drivers about.

I would have just stared at him and said nothing

Then slowly arched an eyebrow

Winked suggestively

and and....

That or asked him wtf he was smoking, some guards are nutjobs.

lycan238

In my opininion if the car in front is travelling at a reasonable speed for the conditions of the road and the road itself then I would not overtake however if they were driving a bit too slow (for fear of being caught speeding) and a safe opportunity arose for the garda car to safely overtake and they didn't it would make me think twice about overtaking two vehicles at once. If lights are on I would not overtake except if the car had pulled in and was stationary.

Quazzie

I once got some very dirty looks for over takibg an ambulance with lights on. In fairness it was going pretty slow.

_Kaiser_

coolisin wrote: »

This time two years ago if of said yes.

Until I drove by a Garda van on the m50 while I did the speed limit (100kmh) I was the only person who over took as he hogged the middle lane at slower speed, I was swiftly pulled in.

His reason was I should be driving more careful on a Saturday night at 9pm as there is drunk drivers about.

Supergurrier wrote: »

I would have just stared at him and said nothing

Then slowly arched an eyebrow

Winked suggestively

and and....

That or asked him wtf he was smoking, some guards are nutjobs.

+1

I would have suggested he would be better off pulling them over then rather than stopping me for doing the legal limit and stone-cold sober.

Marcusm

Lights and sirens are the deciding factor for me; their purpose is to clear the road ahead so I'd let them away. If convoy is irrelevant, one if the bikes might pull me over. If important, I wouldn't want go interfere. So either way, stay clear is the result. No lights and sirens, treat them like any other road user.

dr.fuzzenstein

I was once overtaken (Yes I know, other way round) by a convoy of garda cars, undercover garda cars, blacked out limousines, more garda cars, bikes, etc..., all going with lights and sirens. This was going out of Dublin on the Naas road.
With the car I had at the time I was able to activate the alarm as they where blaring past me, was fun joining in.
On topic, I would overtake single vehicles or maybe a handful of them, if they where going slow. Often pass out ambulances as they go from Ennis to Limerick (if you have a heart attack in Kilkee you might make it to the Regional in Limerick within two hours, it was nice knowing you), sometimes with lights flashing but going slow enough and the odd Garda car pootling along at 110 km/h with a long convoy of cars sitting behind it, never been pulled.

Rackstar

Maybe not with the lights on and in a convoy with bikes overtaking it to stop traffics at junctions ahead.

I've overtaken squad cars on dual carriageways / motorways when they are below the limit.

Nothing worse than driving down a motorway / dual carriageway overtaking traffic in the driving lane and you suddenly realise you're over taking a hearse. Has happened to me :rolleyes:

Del2005

Supergurrier wrote: »

Lots of hindsight heros voting tbh, it's different when you are actually there

One mistimed gearchange and a pop from the exhaust going from 3rd to 4th and i could have been in big doo doo

I wouldn't even consider overtaking if I'd need to drop gears, it's only on a multi lane road I'd consider it.

Marcusm wrote: »

Lights and sirens are the deciding factor for me; their purpose is to clear the road ahead so I'd let them away. If convoy is irrelevant, one if the bikes might pull me over. If important, I wouldn't want go interfere. So either way, stay clear is the result. No lights and sirens, treat them like any other road user.

The thing is the road I was catching them on was an 80km/h road and I had to stop at several junctions yet I was still catching them at each junction, so if I'd followed them onto the N7 South and they maintained the same speed I'd have been past the convoy in a matter of seconds. So I couldn't block them till they reached Cork! If they sped up I'd happily pull over to let them past but I don't think it's necessary to drive at 60km/h or 70km/h on the N7 because a convoy with lights and sirens is doing that speed.

goz83

In the OP I vote no. Traffic was moving well and i would have stayed put. Imagine trying to overtake and you block one of the bikers from doing his job. If they were going particularly slow, then i might put the foot to floor, eject the roof and fire some lead into their dull cow eyes....:cool:

dr.fuzzenstein

Rackstar wrote: »

Maybe not with the lights on and in a convoy with bikes overtaking it to stop traffics at junctions ahead.

I've overtaken squad cars on dual carriageways / motorways when they are below the limit.

Nothing worse than driving down a motorway / dual carriageway overtaking traffic in the driving lane and you suddenly realise you're over taking a hearse. Has happened to me :rolleyes:

And why wouldn't you? You can overtake in a respectful manner, don't have to drop in in 3rd and roar past at 7000 rpm blaring your horn whilst giving the finger.:p

Del2005

goz83 wrote: »

In the OP I vote no. Traffic was moving well and i would have stayed put. Imagine trying to overtake and you block one of the bikers from doing his job. If they were going particularly slow, then i might put the foot to floor, eject the roof and fire some lead into their dull cow eyes....:cool:

It'd take a very badly driven car to block a biker on a multi lane road, never mind a highly trained Garda biker.

I wouldn't pass if I was going to block them, but they went onto the N7 Southbound. So your saying you'd have sat behind them all the way to Cork at 60km/h or 70km/h if they didn't turn off before it?